Magpul pulls up stakes to leave Colorado for more freedom loving climes

posted at 10:01 am on January 4, 2014 by Jazz Shaw

It’s a story which has played out in a number of states since the latest round of Democrat efforts to pass new gun access restrictions: gun makers and manufacturers of auxiliary equipment in states where these laws were passed indicated that they would be leaving. Rather than stay and keep their businesses (and jobs) in places where they are not appreciated, the companies expressed a preference for moving to where they would be more welcome. As our colleagues at Townhall inform us, Colorado passed just such a set of laws last year and one of their corporate residents is doing just that.

Magpul Industries Corp. is leaving Colorado due to state laws which will restrict the number of cartridges a magazine can hold. “Moving operations to locations that support our culture of individual liberties and personal responsibility is important,” CEO Richard Fitzpatrick released in a statement. Texas and Wyoming will be the Magpul’s new operational hubs.

Magpul Industries announced today that it is relocating its operations to Wyoming and Texas.

The company is relocating manufacturing, distribution and shipping operations to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Magpul is leasing a 58,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility during the construction of a 100,000 square foot build-to-suit facility in the Cheyenne Business Parkway. The Wyoming relocation is being completed with support from Governor Matt Mead, the Wyoming Business Council and Cheyenne LEADS.

Magpul is moving its corporate headquarters to Texas. Three North Central Texas sites are under final consideration, and the transition to the Texas headquarters will begin as soon as the facility is selected. The Texas relocation is being accomplished with support from Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Economic Development Corporation…

“Moving operations to states that support our culture of individual liberties and personal responsibility is important,” says Richard Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer for Magpul Industries. “This relocation will also improve business operations and logistics as we utilize the strengths of Texas and Wyoming in our expansion.”

Even with the financial and logistical support being offered by the governments of Texas and Wyoming, this still represents a major investment and degree of risk taking for Magpul. But it’s equally clear that they feel the principles of the matter outweigh the costs of the move. It’s rather insulting for liberal legislators to pass such sweeping anti-second amendment measures and then expect the company to stick around and keep providing jobs and tax revenues to them.

The total population of Ilion is only 8,000, so you can imagine what that would do to the area. But since the NY SAFE Act banned the Bushmaster – one of Remington’s most popular rifles – as well as many of Remington’s other products, why would they stay? Manufacturers in other gun grabbing states are wrestling with similar questions, and Second Amendment friendly states like Texas and Wyoming will be waiting with open arms to welcome them if they decide to jump ship. It’s then going to be up to the residents of Colorado and New York (among others) to decide if they really want to keep electing gun grabbing legislators and watch the unemployment lines grow.

Here’s a video covering the Magpul story. Also, if you find Magpul’s decision admirable and you’re considering a new purchase in the near future, you might want to look over their range of offerings.

People in Colorado don’t care about business…..
They got legal pot, let’s see how those tax revenues compare
to the tax revenue they are losing.
Besides, the folks are stoned so they don’t really care.

But since the NY SAFE Act banned the Bushmaster – one of Remington’s most popular rifles – as well as many of Remington’s other products, why would they stay?

Quote from Jazz Shaw…

Going to the link of the legislation that Jazz Shaw put in his blogpost, one will not find any reference to the “Bushmaster” in the SAFE act law. I can only assume Jazz Shaw meant the AR-15 platform of rifles manufactured by myriad machine shoppes.

Magpul is moving its corporate headquarters to Texas. Three North Central Texas sites are under final consideration, and the transition to the Texas headquarters will begin as soon as the facility is selected. The Texas relocation is being accomplished with support from Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Economic Development Corporation…

Frisco, would be perfect for Magpul. Lot’s of new construction. Plenty of housing.
Sorry, no mountains – but a lot less of liberal politicians…..

Compared to the failed trillions in stimulus your idiot of a president threw away, yes. All states and even local chambers of commerce to this. It must suck to go through life as such an ignorant hypocrite. Everytime you leech onto a topic here and your idiocy leaches into our conversation, we all become more stupid even reading what you post.

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid? How can anyone expect us to take “free market” rhetoric seriously when large companies keep telling us they need government assistance like this. Why not model what they preach? Should we be surprised to see this company repay the favors offered by Republican lawmakers with campaign contributions? But that’s just “free speech” not quid pro quo, right?

A big Texas welcome to Magpul. We are thrilled to have you here. If I were Queen of Texas, I’d require a citizenship test for all immigrants to be admitted to Texas, but firearms companies would receive an automatic Pass.

I strongly support legislation that sharpens the divide between Red freedom loving states and Blue socialist states. Perhaps the trend will result in an eventual peaceful splitting of the country into two separate countries.

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid? How can anyone expect us to take “free market” rhetoric seriously when large companies keep telling us they need government assistance like this. Why not model what they preach? Should we be surprised to see this company repay the favors offered by Republican lawmakers with campaign contributions? But that’s just “free speech” not quid pro quo, right?

libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 11:06 AM

Sometime you need to enlighten yourself and do some research on the decades-long love affair between Democrat politician Lyndon Johnson and KBR, which later became a part of Halliburton (which is now partially owned by George Soros, and whose employees, including a Senior VP, donated heavily to O’bama in 2008 and 2012).

LBJ’s escapades with Halliburton make Dick Cheney look like a rank amateur.

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid?

libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 11:06 AM

Offering a discount on state income tax isn’t government aid, idiot.

Tax discounts aren’t the same as revenue subsidies – which is what Obama gives corporations. A tax discount is meaningless unless the company can already stand on its own – while a revenue subsidy means that it can’t.

You’ve already admitted that you don’t understand financial matters and that your partner is forced to manage your money. Why do you attempt to wade into these discussions?

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid? How can anyone expect us to take “free market” rhetoric seriously when large companies keep telling us they need government assistance like this. Why not model what they preach? Should we be surprised to see this company repay the favors offered by Republican lawmakers with campaign contributions? But that’s just “free speech” not quid pro quo, right?
libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 11:06 AM

Care to make a guess as to how many of your putative students receive financial aid? And how many were enticed to attend Thirteenth Grade College by those offers? Care to guess which teaching positions would be cut if that aid dried up?

Bushmaster was an independent maker of AR platform rifles that was acquired by Remington (the old owners resurrected themselves as Wyndham Weaponry) and was – and may still be – a supplier of M-4 carbines to the DoD.
The media uses the term “Bushmaster” as a generic name for all of the AR pattern weapons produced by Remington.

They make ammunition magazines(as opposed to publishing “Out”), sights, and “furniture.”

Murphy9 on January 4, 2014 at 10:44 AM

That’s true. But the reason that they are leaving Colorado is that they refuse to provide jobs and tax money by manufacturing a magazine that cannot be sold to people in their home state.
The government of Colorado told them that they could continue to manufacture their “high-capacity” (ie: normal-size) mags in Col. — and keep paying those lovely tax dollars to Col. Magpul said screw that.

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid? How can anyone expect us to take “free market” rhetoric seriously when large companies keep telling us they need government assistance like this. Why not model what they preach? Should we be surprised to see this company repay the favors offered by Republican lawmakers with campaign contributions? But that’s just “free speech” not quid pro quo, right?

libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 11:06 AM

This from the poofter who has a job only because of affirmative action and government programs/mandates.

You really are quite the foul hypocrite, princess. We don’t see you whining and sniveling about “corporate welfare” when it’s going to a company or organization run by one of your leftist/fascist, anti-American heroes.

Why don’t you just STFU, FOAD & ESAD. That sounds like a good plan for you and yours.

But I will add, a red state could give a tax break (not a subsidy) to a Magpul every year for 20 years, and it would not even compare to the kickbacks Dems get through public sector unions in one year.

That’s true. But the reason that they are leaving Colorado is that they refuse to provide jobs and tax money by manufacturing a magazine that cannot be sold to people in their home state.
The government of Colorado told them that they could continue to manufacture their “high-capacity” (ie: normal-size) mags in Col. — and keep paying those lovely tax dollars to Col. Magpul said screw that.

Solaratov on January 4, 2014 at 12:56 PM

Exactly. Magpul manufactures lots of things that go on guns, but the new laws here made their 20 and 30 round AR magazines illegal to buy/sell in Colorado. Luckily, I bought a bunch before they became illegal, so I’m set for awhile. And I have lots of their other accessories as well.
The idiot Dems in charge of Colorado just cost the state over 400 jobs and $85 million a year in review – primarily because of the new magazine limit.
Congrats to Wyoming and Texas on getting Magpul.

Not sure if you saw the original comment, but the “college professor” misused it. He was corrected by a Hot Air regular. I doubt anymore that he really is a professor.
smoothsailing on January 4, 2014 at 12:52 PM

Except that you can’t buy guns if you are a pot user.
ATF Form 4473 specifically asks:

e. Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?

If you answer yes to that question, as a medicinal or recreational user, you cannot legally buy a gun.
And the ATF has already declared MJ is an addictive substance, so if you use MJ in any way, you must (legally) answer yes to that question.

Except that you can’t buy guns if you are a pot user.
ATF Form 4473 specifically asks:

e. Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?

If you answer yes to that question, as a medicinal or recreational user, you cannot legally buy a gun.
And the ATF has already declared MJ is an addictive substance, so if you use MJ in any way, you must (legally) answer yes to that question.

Even before it was legal, a lot of stoners were on the ski slope.
Now the entire ski mountain will smell like pot, no thanks.

redguy on January 4, 2014 at 3:40 PM

True, there’s a lot of stoners up there – most often boarders vs skiers.
But legally / officially you cannot smoke pot in public, whether that’s on the ski slopes or really anywhere else. Based on the way the law is written, about the only place you can legally smoke pot is in a private residence (by the letter of the law). And many of the ski areas have already specifically banned pot smoking on their slopes/lifts/grounds.
We’ll just have to see how heavily they actually enforce that…

e. Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?

If you answer yes to that question, as a medicinal or recreational user, you cannot legally buy a gun.
And the ATF has already declared MJ is an addictive substance, so if you use MJ in any way, you must (legally) answer yes to that question.

Even with the financial and logistical support being offered by the governments of Texas and Wyoming,

Oh corporate welfare is OK in red states or something?

libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 10:48 AM

The state spends a little bit of money to lure a business there from another state, and gains a lot more in terms of industry and jobs.

Sounds like a rational decision.

Now, if they were giving money to one business in their state over another business in their state, then there would be a legitimate complaint of “crony capitalism.” But they’re luring a business from another state which has banned for sale half the products that business manufactures.

Shouldn’t an independent business be able to make the decision to move their operations to a new state without relying upon government aid? How can anyone expect us to take “free market” rhetoric seriously when large companies keep telling us they need government assistance like this. Why not model what they preach? Should we be surprised to see this company repay the favors offered by Republican lawmakers with campaign contributions? But that’s just “free speech” not quid pro quo, right?

libfreeordie on January 4, 2014 at 11:06 AM

Magpul isn’t “relying on government aid,” and neither are any of the other companies mentioned. They have decided to move their operations to a new state in protest of the laws and governance of the states they are in — a free market solution. Other states who want those jobs and tax dollars are competing for those companies by offering tax and other incentives — also a free market solution. Those companies will of course give (and give generously) to politicians who will best ensure their freedom to continue manufacturing their products — also a free market solution.